FTC settlement grants John Deere right-to-repair access
techJul 8, 202634634
The US Federal Trade Commission, joined by five states, reached a settlement with Deere & Company that requires John Deere to give farmers and independent repair providers the same equipment repair resources and applicable software capabilities that it supplies to authorized Deere dealers for the next 10 years. The FTC sued Deere last year alleging the company used unfair practices that limited owners and third-party shops and raised repair costs. Deere will face reporting and oversight obligations under the agreement, and the decade-long settlement can be extended if Deere violates its terms. US PIRG Senior Right to Repair Campaign Director Nathan Proctor praised the settlement as expanding repair options for farmers and said advocates will continue monitoring implementation. The settlement resolves an antitrust-style challenge over Deere’s proprietary control of diagnostic tools and software access.
